Fact Check: Were Charlie Kirk's wife and children present at Utah campus event when he was shot?

OREM, UTAH: A claim about Charlie Kirk’s wife, Erika, and their children being present at Utah Valley University when the conservative activist was shot and killed has been circulating online.

It began after news outlets and social media users referenced unverified reports in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.

The confusion came as tributes poured in for Kirk, the 31-year-old Turning Point USA founder who was gunned down on September 10, 2025, during a campus event in Orem, Utah. 

Claim: Charlie Kirk’s wife and children were on campus at the time of the shooting

Several posts across social media, along with early reporting by news outlets, claimed Erika Kirk and the couple’s children had accompanied him to the university.

The claim was picked up by The Enquirer, which cited the BBC’s live coverage of the attack.

Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin also appeared to fuel the rumor when he wrote on X: “Pray for (Kirk), his wife Erika, their two children, and all who were present at Utah Valley University.”

Many interpreted the post as confirmation that Kirk’s family was physically present at the event.

Fact Check: BBC corrected its reporting, no confirmation of family presence

The BBC later updated its coverage, admitting its earlier live blog entry was inaccurate. “Update, 11 September: An earlier version of this post said Kirk's wife and children were on the university campus. In fact this is unclear,” the broadcaster noted.

As of mid-September 2025, no credible outlet or official statement has confirmed whether Erika Kirk or the children were present during the shooting. The reports remain speculative and based on misinterpretations of Mullin’s post.

Security at Charlie Kirk event under fire after fatal shooting

The shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk during a campus appearance has raised urgent questions about security, with witnesses describing lax measures.

Kirk was speaking at Utah Valley University on September 10 as part of his American Comeback Tour when he was shot in the neck in front of a packed courtyard audience.

Several attendees now say the event lacked basic precautions.

Tyler McGettigan told NBC News he printed a ticket but was never asked to show it. “No one checked the barcode or the QR code,” he said. “There was no checkpoint to get in. It was literally, anyone could walk in if they wanted.”

Another witness, Justin Hickens, said there were no screenings at all. “There were no checkpoints, nothing, to get in here,” he recalled.

A Turning Point USA member, Afton Miller, echoed those concerns, saying she and a friend simply “walked in” and were directed to seats on a first-come, first-served basis.

The attack erupted as Kirk was responding to an audience question about transgender mass shooters.

“Do you know how many transgender Americans have been mass shooters over the last 10 years?” one attendee asked. “Too many,” Kirk replied. Seconds later, a bullet struck his neck, sending the crowd into chaos.

Video circulating online shows bystanders rushing to Kirk’s side as blood pooled from his wound. He was rushed to a hospital in Orem, where doctors pronounced him dead shortly after.